Alliance Team Research Articles

Barriers and Facilitators to Adopting a Systematic, Proactive, Evidence-Informed Technical Assistance System.

This article describes (a) key elements of a high-quality technical assistance (TA) system; (b) the operationalization of a high-quality TA system (Getting To Outcomes-Technical Assistance; GTO-TA) being implemented in a training and TA center (TTAC) interested in transforming its support services to include an evidence-informed approach to TA; and (c) key lessons learned in successfully transitioning from "TA-as-usual" to an evidence-informed TA system. GTO-TA is one operationalization of a systematic, proactive, evidence-informed approach to TA. GTO-TA includes best practices and core elements for a comprehensive TA system; it aims to increase the readiness (reduce barriers and increase facilitators) of an organization to deliver an innovation (program, policy, practice, process new to an organization) with quality. We describe the collaboration between the Wandersman Center and the Geographic Health Equity Alliance team to co-design and implement the GTO-TA system. Data from surveys, interviews, and consensus conversations led to important lessons learned, which are applicable to other TTACs seeking to develop a more proactive and systematic approach to TA. Lessons include: changing internal operations to facilitate TA providers making necessary changes in providing TA and understanding the relative advantage perceptions about a new TA system that influence adoption and must be considered.

STOP COVID-19 CA: Community engagement to address the disparate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in California.

To describe the early activities and lessons of the Share, Trust, Organize, Partner COVID-19 California Alliance (STOP COVID-19 CA), the California awardee of the NIH-funded multi-state Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) against COVID-19. The Alliance was established to ensure equity in Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) research, clinical practice, and public health for communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The STOP COVID-19 CA Alliance network of 11 universities and affiliated partner community-based organizations (CBOs) across California. Mixed methods evaluation consisting of an analysis of activity (August 2020 to December 2021) detailed in reports submitted by community-academic teams and a survey (August 2021) of academic investigators and affiliated community-based organization (CBO) partners. We summarized activities from the 11 community-academic teams' progress reports and described results from an online survey of academic investigators and CBO partners in the California Alliance. A review of progress reports (n = 256) showed that teams fielded surveys to 11,000 Californians, conducted 133 focus groups, partnered with 29 vaccine/therapeutics clinical trials, and led more than 300 town halls and vaccine events that reached Californians from communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Survey responses from academic investigators and CBO partners emphasized the importance of learning from the successes and challenges of the California Alliance teams' COVID-19 initiatives. Both academic and CBO respondents highlighted the need for streamlined federal and institutional administrative policies, and fiscal practices to promote more effective and timely operations of teams in their efforts to address the numerous underlying health and social disparities that predispose their communities to higher rates of, and poor outcomes from, COVID-19. STOP COVID-19 CA represents a new and potentially sustainable statewide community engagement model for addressing health disparities in multiethnic/multicultural and geographically dispersed communities.

On alliance teams: Conceptualization, review, and future research agenda

With organizations working together more readily than ever before, it is becoming increasingly common to have teams of individuals from different organizations. These “alliance teams” bring together people across organizations to achieve collaborative outcomes. There is a lack of consensus among researchers on how to conceptualize an alliance team and fragmentation of the research across fields and theoretical perspectives has inhibited the development of a coherent body of knowledge on alliance teams. We aim to bring greater conceptual clarity and integrate the research on alliance teams by analyzing existing definitions of alliance teams to inductively arrive at a conceptualization of alliance teams along three key dimensions: factionalism, team scope of responsibility, and team entitativity. We then systematically review the diverse literature and derive three key research foci: diversity, goal ambiguity, and team connectivity to other teams. Our review shows that the three-dimensional (3D) conceptualization opens up valuable research opportunities and stimulates research across dimensions and foci when examining alliance team functioning and effectiveness. We use alliance team leadership, a critical topic in alliance team research, as an illustration of how the 3D conceptualization can help integrate and advance research on alliance teams. We conclude by providing a future research agenda.

The Pattern of Clinical Activities in Alliance CAMHS Over a 3-Month Period: 2020 vs 2021

AimsThis Quality improvement project will look into the data collected over the same period in 2020 and 2021 to highlight patterns and changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to improve the quality of service provided by the team.MethodsThe record of a total of 349 patients was accessed from the Alliance team spreadsheet and patient electronic records (Rio) between September and November in 2020 and 2021.The inclusion criteria include: 1.All patients referred to the team2.All patients managed by the team3.Patients referred between September and November 20204.Patients referred between September and November 2021Data collected include: 1.Presenting complaint2.Demographics- gender and race3.Source of referral4.Outcome of referral5.Timeline of first contact after referralResults1.The overall number of referrals between September and November 2020 was more than referrals over the same time period in 2021; 188 patients in 2020 and 161 in 20212.Of the 188 referred in the 2020 audited period, 55%(102) were from minority ethnic groups compared to 50%(80) in the 2021 audited period. So the number and proportion of minorities requiring mental health support rose due to the impact of COVID pandemic infections, restrictions, and lockdowns.3.In 2020, the proportion of male patients was 26%(49) compared to 18%(30) in 2021. This is important because the majority of our patients are females which implies that the COVID pandemic had a significant effect on the entire population leading to more male patient referrals.4.The overall number of patients that presented with self-harm was greater in 2020 than in the 2021 period of audit.5.The overall number of patients that presented with anxiety was also greater in 2020 than in the 2021 period of audit.6.Of the 188 patients referred between September to November 2020, 58% (109) of them were seen within 24 hours of referral compared to 61% (99) in 2021. In the 2021 period, the restrictions have stopped and it has become far easier to carry out assessments at home and school while using the necessary protective gear.7.It was noticed that there was a lot of telephone support in 2020 but none in 2021. The majority of these patients were those who were already known to the service and were being supported but deteriorated mentally during the peak of the pandemic.8.There was a lot of referral from the single point of access (SPA) in between September and November 2020 while there was none over the same time period in 2021. This could have resulted from another impact of the pandemic when a lot of service providers were off sick and their patients could not reach them directly so they opted to go through SPA. Some new referrals also came this way.9.It is also noteworthy that 59% (112) of patients seen in the 2020 audited period were already known to the service while 54%(88) seen in 2021 were known. This implies that a lot of our patients deteriorated due to the pandemic10.We also had more new referrals in 2021 than in 2020 for the same audited period.11.Six percent of the 188 patients seen 2020 audited period had telephone support while none did in 2021. Since all restrictions were lifted in July 2021, the service has opted for a more conventional approach of patient assessment which is face to face especially when expedient.12.Fifty-two percent (85) of 161 patients seen in the 2021 audited period were signposted to another service while 44% (72) of 188 seen in 2020 were signposted.ConclusionThis audit has proven that not only did the pandemic affect the overall volume of patients seen, but it also increased the proportion of male patients seen and the relative proportion of minority ethnic groups that used the service.The pandemic and government policies also influenced how patients were assessed seeing how 2020 had a lot of telephone support.It's impressive to know that the team managed to cope in these challenging periods without compromising the quality and standard of care as well as leaving behind an up to date medical records making this audit possible and easyImportant Recommendations includes: 1.Completing annual audits on the pattern of clinical activities2.Continued review of quality and consistency of data collection3.To consider an alternative method for data collection to minimize the risk of human error.4.Regular training sessions for mental health crisis team in keeping with changes to mental health presentations during the COVID Pandemic.5.To review data collected and expand on the information collected to include gender and ethnicity

First report of banana bunchy top virus in banana (Musa spp.) and its eradication in Togo.

Banana (including plantain; Musa spp.) is a vegetatively propagated semi-perennial crop in fields and backyard gardens in Togo. Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD), caused by banana bunchy top virus (BBTV, genus Babuvirus) is the most economically important viral disease, infection of which causes severe stunting and production losses of 90-100% within two seasons. The virus is spread by banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa, and through vegetative propagation from infected sources. BBTV occurrence was first reported in West Africa in 2011 with confirmation in Republic of Benin and in Nigeria in 2012 . A regional alliance (www.bbtvalliance.org) has been established for BBTV surveillance through frequent surveys in countries neighboring those affected, such as Togo. The surveys conducted in September 2018 in banana growing areas in Togo revealed plants with typical symptoms (severe stunting, bunchy growth with shortened petioles with chlorotic streaks and yellow leaf margins) in three banana fields. Locations were Tsévié, Préfecture de Zio, (6.44°N, 1.21028°E), Lilicope, Préfecture de Zio in Maritime region (6.56583°N, 1.18639°E), and Amoutchou, Préfecture de l'Ogou in Plateaux region (7.3775°N, 1.17472°E). Leaf samples were collected from symptomatic (N=8) and asymptomatic plants (N=30) and used for DNA extraction followed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for BBTV detection to amplify ~240 bp sequence of DNA-R encoding for core replicase gene. All samples from symptomatic plants (N=8) tested positive and asymptomatic plants were negative. To ascertain virus identity the 240-bp PCR product was purified and sequenced in both directions. A BLAST search of the sequence (NCBI GenBank Acc.# MK073116) revealed 99% identity with DNA-R sequences of BBTV isolates from Africa (e.g., JQ437549-Benin, JN290301-Nigeria). Further analysis of the 240-bp nucleotide sequence with Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis using MEGA-X software has grouped the BBTV isolate with sub-Saharan African sub-clade of the South Pacific group. To further confirm the virus identity, two samples from symptomatic (PCR positive) and asymptomatic (PCR negative) plants from Tsévié were tested by TAS-ELISA using BBTV ELISA reagent set (Cat. No. SRA24700-1000, Agdia, France) following the manufacturers' protocol. Only samples from two symptomatic plants that were positive in PCR reacted positively in TAS-ELISA; asymptomatic plants were negative. BBTV was not observed in any of the 22 locations surveyed as a follow-up in banana producing areas. To our knowledge, this is the first report of BBTV infecting banana in Togo. The plants detected in the three sites were eradicated in the follow-up action implemented by the alliance team together with the Direction de la Protection des Végétaux of Togo. Follow-up surveys were conducted in the same regions in 2019 and 2020 to ensure disease-free status in these sites and other banana producing regions in Togo. Efforts have been made to raise awareness about BBTD recognition, diagnosis, and eradication. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of rapid detection and eradication of BBTD in sub-Saharan Africa. This study illustrates the importance of regular surveillance for early detection of invasive virus threats and the value of rapid eradication to contain viruses before spread and establishment in a new territory.

How partnership should work to bring innovative medicines to patients

Scientists increasingly find themselves working in bilateral drug development alliances. Alliances are conceptually simple, but operationally challenging, resulting in the value-eroding misalignment and delays that alliances often experience. This case study of an exemplary collaboration between a small biotech and a global biopharmaceutical company is based on 15 interviews and a lessons-learned workshop conducted with the principal alliance team members. We outline five repeatable practices identified as contributing to their success that other alliance teams can follow.

Trust and dynamic governance mechanisms in the university-industry R&D alliances

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how the dynamic interplay of governance mechanisms of the university-firm R&D alliance reduces obstacles and enables the successful commercialization of research collaboration output.Design/methodology/approachA longitudinal case research and retrospective strategy were used to collect relevant data and information in the four university-and-firm alliance teams collaborating on R&D projects in Thailand during 2008-2014. In-depth interviews and meetings were conducted with representatives of all partners and R&D project teams.FindingsThe authors found that formal and informal control mechanisms act as complementary forms of governance. The informal control (trust) serves as the frame of intentions whether the formal control is interpreted as a guideline or a commitment. Both formal and informal control mechanisms must be put in place to successfully and sustainably develop collaborative research into a commercial product.Research limitations/implicationsThis study investigated four Thai government-funded research collaboration teams from a single industry. It would be worth investigating such research collaboration in other industries and those without any government funding.Originality/valueThis study applied an exploratory case research method which is rarely used in research on R&D alliance teams. It generates cross-functional insights on how to build trust in such R&D context, especially in an emerging economy.

(Invited) Cobalt Interconnects at 36nm Beol Pitch and Beyond: Material Challenges & Circuit-Level Performance Impact

Cobalt metallization in the back-end-of-line (BEOL) presents several interesting opportunities and challenges1-5. In this work, we evaluate the performance of Co interconnects at narrow BEOL pitch using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for Co and a Ta-based barrier layer. In-line electrical measurements demonstrate a higher RC-delay for Co interconnects relative to Cu interconnects. Various challenges associated with Co metallization at narrow-pitch are identified. Simulations based on temperature-coefficient of resistivity (TCR) measurements are used to identify various cross-over points in which Co line resistance becomes lower than Cu line resistance depending on width, aspect ratio and barrier material/thickness. In addition to in-line characterization of damascene Co interconnects, we employ a state-of-the-art multi-scale modeling approach to evaluate overall BEOL-loaded device performance for both Co and Cu conductors. We consider a single-driver reference circuit6,7 to evaluate the delay penalty for Co v. Cu metallization at several representative pitches. Ab initio simulations are employed to determine lower-limits of Co via resistance and surface scattering for a variety of possible barrier materials and thicknesses. These results are fed into a field solver to calculate stage delay for several representative logic gates, including a 3-input NAND and a 2-input multiplexer (MUX). Results indicate that despite having a higher line resistance, a net improvement in stage delay can be achieved for a suitably-tuned Co via resistance. Critical dimension (CD) sensitivity is also characterized for both Co and Cu metallization schemes. These results highlight some of the challenges and potential advantages of using Co-based conductors in advanced interconnects beyond the 7nm technology node. This work was performed by the Research and Development Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development Facilities. Figure 1

Improved Copper Damascene Wires Using Direct Plate on Cobalt Process

We preset an electrochemical damascene fill process for copper which is capable of direct nucleation and fill on a cobalt substrate. This process preserves the benefits of a cobalt liner while simultaneously reducing problems inherent in the use of a PVD copper seed on small interconnect features. The process depends upon the use of an additive which enhances the action of traditional damascene suppressors. This enables improved nucleation on the Co substrate without sacrificing the ability of the bath to produce the bottom-up fill typical of damascene Cu plating. We demonstrate good fill across a wafer on a thin, resistive cobalt substrate, producing lines with better electrical properties than a control created using PVD seed followed by a traditional damascene process. As integrated circuit features get smaller, the use of electrochemical copper metallization for interconnects has become more challenging. A major reason for this is the requirement for a PVD copper seed layer on top of a cobalt liner to enable traditional damascene plating. In very small features, the seed layer takes up a substantial portion of the feature volume. This produces a serious risk of voids as either the PVD itself or subsequent electrodeposition can close off the feature top before it has been filled with metal. One way to extend the manufacturability of copper interconnects is to eliminate the PVD copper deposition step entirely and instead plate directly on the cobalt liner. Direct plating of copper onto cobalt is a challenging problem. Cobalt dissolves readily in acidic solutions used for damascene Cu plating. Further, the reduction potential of Cu(II) is such that it will galvanically corrode Co substrates exposed to it. Copper has been successfully plated on cobalt, but previous attempts use heavily complexed alkaline baths to preserve the cobalt substrate. Unfortunately, both high pH and heavily complexed copper inhibit the ability of traditional damascene additives to produce good bottom up fill. Our approach to this problem has been to use an additive which improves the nucleation of Cu on Co not by complexing the Cu in the bulk solution, but by improving the ability of damascene suppressor molecules to quickly and effectively inhibit Cu plating on newly created Cu surfaces. This fast inhibition makes it more favorable for Cu nuclei to expand across the Co surface rather than growing in a more perpendicular direction. The faster passivation of the surface with Cu in turn dramatically reduces Co corrosion loss to the bath. Because this behavior is produced using traditional damascene additives, bottom up fill can be established after nucleation occurs if plating conditions are properly chosen. Good nucleation and fill on a 36nm pitch structure can be seen in the benchtop scale fill progression tests shown in Figure 1. Nucleation is slightly rougher than is observed when plating on a Cu substrate, but fill ability is sufficient to compensate. A Sabre electrodeposition tool from Lam Research was used to scale this process up to 300mm wafer plating. In Figure 2 electrical data statistics from these wafers are compared with similar results form a pair of control wafers plated using traditional damascene process on a PVD Cu substrate. A portion of this work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development facilities. Figure 1

(Invited) Epitaxy of (SiGe/Si) Superlattices for the Fabrication of Horizontal Gate-All-Around Nanosheet Transistors

Stacked horizontal Gate All Around Nanosheet transistors were recently proposed as a replacement of FinFET for the sub-7nm device nodes. In order to stack Nanosheet channels, a specific SiGe/Si superlattice epitaxy is employed, with SiGe being used as a sacrificial layer that will define the suspension thickness (Tsus) between the channels. In this paper, we will consider the optimization of SiGe/Si multilayer epitaxy for Nanosheet channel definition (Fig. 1). Stacks with different Ge compositions are physically characterized and studied. With strain characterization and x-ray diffraction measurements on (100) substrates, we will show that it is possible to form pseudomorphic defect-free SiGe/Si multilayers over a wide range of Ge concentrations in the sacrificial SiGe (Fig. 2 and 3). The uniformity obtained on blanket 300mm substrates will be presented (Fig. 4), with a discussion on the SiGe/Si interface abruptness. In the context of CMOS device integration, it is necessary to employ a low temperature STI process to mitigate the Ge inter-diffusion in the silicon channel and to avoid the possible generation of defects from plastic relaxation of SiGe. The SiGe and Ge-Si intermixed regions are removed with appropriate selective etch process in two Nanosheet specific modules: inner spacer formation in the extension regions (Fig. 5) and post channel release in the gate regions (Fig. 6), leaving only 5nm intrinsic silicon Nanosheets. We will report the etch rate and selectivity of our in-house vapor-phase channel release process performed at low temperature. This process enables us to remove SiGe versus Si with a great selectivity and a limited amount of silicon loss during channel release, before gate stack deposition around the stacked Nanosheets. From a device perspective, we will show that the optimization of the silicon thickness in the SiGe/Si superlattice plays an important role in the Nanosheet device performance and electrostatics (Fig. 7). Finally, with a good SiGe/Si multilayer uniformity control, a reduced thermal budget and after optimization of our in-house SiGe selective etch process, we will show the capability to form 5nm silicon Nanosheet channels with small within wafer variation, low device variability and good process control, compatible with the fabrication of very large scale integrated circuits for future CMOS device nodes. Acknowledgements: This work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research Facilities. Figure 1

Making sense of team integration practice through the “lived experience” of alliance project teams

Purpose Team integration is a concept that has been widely fostered in alliances as a way of improving collaborative relationships between diverse organisations. However, deeper insights into the practice of high levels of team integration remain elusive. The purpose of this paper is to develop a deeper understanding of team integration through the “lived experience” of practitioners in an alliance. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a qualitative research methodology. Using a phenomenological examination, via the lived experiences of 24 alliance practitioners, the practice of alliance team integration has been investigated based on the key indicators that foster alliance team integration: team leadership, trust and respect, single team focus on project objectives and key results areas, collective understanding, commitment from project alliance board, single and co-located alliance team, and free flow communication. Findings The findings highlight that alliancing gives the project teams’ flexibility to change and adapt, to advance the collaborative environment and that successful integration of multi-disciplinary project teams requires commitment to the identified indicators. These findings have led to the development of a framework of leadership for successful alliance integrated practices. It is proposed that to influence the leadership for the purpose of achieving successful integration practice, a team-centric approach is required which includes four elements: task and relationship-oriented behaviours; collaborative learning environments; cultivating cross-boundary networks; and collaborative governance. Practical implications As team integration is the central tenet of alliance projects, greater understanding regarding the leadership of integration practice is of value in leveraging the benefits of outstanding performance. Also, the results of the study are expected to be informative and provide insight for alliance teams to help them proactively recognise how the context of integrated teams is influenced by specific indicators, impacting on the extent of integration practice. Originality/value This study contributes to the current body of knowledge concerning the insights from the “lived experience” of alliance teams towards achieving a greater understanding of what contributes to the leadership of successful integration practices.

Pinch Off Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition Process and Material Technology for Nano-Device Air Gap/Spacer Formation

EXTENDED ABSTRACT Continued integrated circuit scaling deeper into the nanoscale regime has provided improved performance through shrinking of the Front-End-of-Line (FEOL) device and Back-End-of-Line (BEOL) interconnect. With scaling, resistance-capacitance (RC) delay is an increasing challenge, limiting overall product performance. Capacitance reduction is therefore vitally important for device performance in both the FEOL and BEOL device structure. Conventional capacitance reduction methods for FEOL and BEOL while maintaining yield and reliability have required significant material innovations such lower-k cap and bulk dielectrics with required mechanical, structural, electrical and other properties. To improve capacitance, other innovations in device structure and process integration such as Air Gap and Air Spacer are also needed (1-2). The air spacer (FEOL) and air gap (BEOL) structures require novel process technology approaches such as pinch off deposition to optimize the capacitance reduction while maintaining yield and reliability. In this paper, we present an overview of material and process technology requirements for FEOL air spacer (1) and BEOL air gap (2) formation using a pinch off deposition approach. These approaches utilize established dielectric materials and processes such as Plasma CVD of SiN, SiCN, SiCOH, pSiCOH, in the formation of the air spacer/air gap. The selection of these dielectric materials and processes has a large impact in the void (gap) dimension and volume as typically show in figure 1. The void dimension and volume in airgap structures can be controlled with various dielectric deposition processes and materials as shown in Figure 1: (a) Long and wide voids for optimal capacitance reduction. (b) Short and wide voids for improved process fabrication and integration. (c) Short and narrow voids for better sidewall protection and device reliability but with a smaller capacitance reduction. The overall void dimension and type of dielectric material are strongly related to the total device capacitance reduction and reliability. Significant capacitance reduction with good reliability has been achieved through material, process and structural/architectural optimization with the pinch off deposition process approach on current 10 nm device structures as shown in figure 2 (FEOL Air spacer) and figure 3 (BEOL Air Gap). This work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development Facilities References 1) K. Cheng, S. Nguyen et al. International Electron Device Meeting, Proceeding Vol. 2016, paper 17.1, pp.444-447. San Francisco, USA 2) C. Penny, S. Gates, B. Peethala, J. Lee, D. Priyadarshini, S. Nguyen, P. McLaughlin, E. Liniger, C.-K. Hu, L. Clevenger, T. Hook, H. Shobha, P. Kerber, I. Seshadri, J. Chen, D. Edelstein, R. Quon, G. Bonilla, V. Paruchuri, and E. Huang, International Interconnect Technology Conference, Proceed. Volume, paper 2.2, May 16-18,2017, Taipei, Taiwan. Figure 1

(Invited) Adsorbate and Impurity Effects during Co Deposition and Planarization for MOL Contact and Beol Metallization

Cobalt (Co) has attracted interest as a new material for middle of the line (MOL) as well as back end of the line (BEOL) metallization.1-3 For MOL contacts, extension of current tungsten (W)-based metallization approaches to smaller feature sizes is limited by the need for relatively thick barrier and W-nucleation layers. In the case of BEOL metallization, a similar requirement of a relatively thick Cu diffusion barrier (needed to maintain good yield and reliability) along with additional “size-effect” electron scattering result in increased Cu interconnect resistance at narrow feature widths.4 Co metallization offers the possibility of feature fill with relatively thinner barrier layers with no high-resistance nucleation layers and grain growth to lower resistivity with improved seamless fill under reasonable FEOL device compatible thermal budgets. These characteristics, along with good electromigration resistance,5 make Co an interesting future metallization alternative for both MOL and BEOL. One way to achieve Co fill is by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) followed by an anneal to reflow the material into the cavity and heal any metal seams present. This approach has the advantage of containing the barrier, Co fill and overburden steps within a single platform. The Co deposition and reflow process can have a strong influence on the film purity and feature-scale metal distribution. In Figure 1, the film resistivity is shown for various Co deposition and anneal processes, reflecting the corresponding changes in the resulting film morphology and purity. Figure 2 shows the influence of the anneal ambient on the extent of Co reflow within contact via structures. The movement of the Co is apparently very dependent on the anneal ambient, suggesting a significant influence of adsorbates from the ambient. The behavior of adsorbates during Co reflow, as well as the subsequent Co chemical mechanical planarization process, will be discussed. Kamineni, V., Raymond, M., Siddiqui, S., Mont, F., Tsai, S., Niu, C., Labonte, A., Labelle, C., Fan, S., Peethala, B. and Adusumilli, P., 2016, May. In Interconnect Technology Conference/Advanced Metallization Conference (IITC/AMC), 2016 IEEE International (pp. 105-107). IEEE.Kelly, J., Chen, J.C., Huang, H., Hu, C.K., Liniger, E., Patlolla, R., Peethala, B., Adusumilli, P., Shobha, H., Nogami, T. and Spooner, T., 2016, May. In Interconnect Technology Conference/Advanced Metallization Conference (IITC/AMC), 2016 IEEE International (pp. 40-42). IEEE.Bekiaris, N., Wu, Z., Ren, H., Naik, M., Park, J.H., Lee, M., Ha, T.H., Hou, W., Bakke, J.R., Gage, M. and Wang, Y., 2017, May. In Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC), 2017 IEEE International (pp. 1-3). IEEE.D. Gall, Journal of Applied Physics, 119, 085101 (2016).Hu, C.K., Kelly, J., Chen, J.H., Huang, H., Ostrovski, Y., Patlolla, R., Peethala, B., Adusumilli, P., Spooner, T., Gignac, L.M. and Bruley, J., 2017, May. In Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC), 2017 IEEE International (pp. 1-3). IEEE. This work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development facilities. Figure 1

Impact of Alkaline Solutions on Via Resistance Reduction and Critical Dimension (CD) Control for Sub-10 Nm Technology Nodes

The continued scaling for back-end-of-line (BEOL) for the sub-10 nm node poses significant challenges due to the shrinkage in dimensions and reduced Cu volume. Specifically for via, a clean interface between the underlying metal (Cu, Co) and Ta/TaN liner is required to reduce additional resistance-capacitance (RC) delays. Traditionally, fluoride based wet chemical systems are used to remove CuO x and post etch residues from the ultra-low k (ULK) dielectric sidewalls [1]. However, as the critical dimensions (CD) of BEOL integrated structures continue to shrink, the loss of RIE damaged low k dielectric material due to dilute HF (dHF) processing becomes a major concern. Furthermore, as Co metallization processes are being explored in interconnect structures, this necessitates an alternative to fluoride based solutions due to their incompatibility [2]. In this work, we are investigating an alternative alkaline based solutions with the addition of surfactants to prevent Cu/Co corrosion while effectively cleaning post etch residues with minimal CD loss. Some of the key parameters studied include solution concentration, oxygen levels, temperature and pH. Careful consideration was taken to adjust the solution pH by controlling the inhibitor concentration to enable Cu surface passivation while still effectively removing post etch residue (PER). As a first step, the Cu etch rates at a fixed alkaline solution concentration were measured using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique. Without corrosion inhibitor, Cu etch rates of 5 Å/min and 10 Å/min, respectively were measured at room temperature (RT) and 60 °C solution temperature. A significant reduction in etch rates of less than 2 Å/min was measured with the optimized inhibitor concentration in the alkaline solutions. There was no measurable change in ULK thickness for the pristine and damaged ULK films at RT, while approximately 5 Å loss at 60 °C was measured for the pristine film. Based on these results, optimized solution parameters such as concentrations, temperature, pH and process time, were developed. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) image of the metallized via structure is presented in Figure 1. It demonstrates that via structures remain intact with a continuous metal fill and no significant removal of the exposed underlying metal layer from the alkaline based cleans process. Additionally, the impact of cleaning was electrically evaluated by measuring resistance and yield using a metal-hardmask-trench-first-via-last (MHTFVL) scheme. Results indicate equivalence in comb-serpentine and via chain yields for the optimized alkaline solution compared to the dHF process. The electrical results for the normalized isolated via chain resistance values were within ~5% of the dHF baseline as shown in Figure 2. This demonstrates the ability of the alkaline based cleaning process to remove CuO x from the bottom of the via to achieve necessary inter-level resistance targets. In conclusion, alkaline based chemistries with the addition of surfactants are a suitable alternative to dHF based cleaning methods to remove RIE based polymer residues from high aspect ratio trench and via structures while maintaining stringent CD targets for sub-10 nm technology nodes. Acknowledgement: This work was performed by the Alliance Teams at various IBM and GLOBALFOUNDRIES Research and Development Facilities References [1] B. Peethala, F.W. Mont, S. Mollis, R. Knarr, B. L’lherron, C. Labelle, D. Canaperi, S. Siddiqui, Microelectronic Eng., 161, 98-103 (2016). [2] V. Kamineni et al., “Tungsten and Cobalt Metallization: A Material Study for MOL Local Interconnects”, International Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC), May 23 - 26 '2016, San Jose, California, USA. Figure 1

Experimental Study of PVD Cu/CVD Co Bilayer Dissolution for BEOL Cu Interconnect Applications

CVD Co liners are of interest for back end of the line (BEOL) interconnects due to improved Cu interconnect gapfill, especially at narrow feature widths.1-4 The stability of Co liner during downstream BEOL processing is a concern that has been discussed with respect to chemical mechanical planarization (CMP),5-6but its behavior during Cu plating has received less attention. Since Co is less noble than Cu (and its oxide is unstable at low pH), an optimized BEOL metallization process is important to prevent Co liner loss during plated Cu fill. Insufficient Cu seed coverage could expose Co to oxidation and attack in the Cu electrolyte, compromising yield and reliability. In this study, we characterize the anodic dissolution behavior of thin PVD Cu/CVD Co bilayer films using linear sweep amperometry. The thin blanket seed layers are intended to mimic the sparse Cu seed coverage that might be present over a Co liner in a narrow dual damascene geometry. An example of this type of analysis is shown in Figure 1. The top figure (1a) shows the anodic polarization behavior of two separate electrode samples (plotted together), one for thick Co, another for thick Cu. The expected potential difference in the stripping peaks is observed, with Co dissolving at less anodic potentials. The middle (1b) and bottom (1c) figures show the behavior of bilayer electrodes having Cu overlayers of varying thickness. The Cu thickness clearly affects the polarization behavior of the underlying Co, with a fairly thick overlayer required to completely suppress early Co dissolution. The impact of these effects and other Cu chemistry aspects on the interconnect yield and reliability will be discussed. 1. T. Nogami, J. Maniscalco, A. Madan, P. Flaitz, P. DeHaven, C. Parks, L. Tai et al., In Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC), 2010 International, pp. 1-3. IEEE, 2010. 2. H. Shimizu, K. Sakoda, T. Momose, Y. Shimogaki, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 51, 05EB02-1 (2012). 3. A. H. Simon, T. Bolom, C. Niu, F. H. Baumann, C-K. Hu, C. Parks, J. Nag et al., In Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS), 2013 IEEE International, pp. 3F-4. IEEE, 2013. 4. M. He, X. Zhang, T. Nogami, X. Lin, J. Kelly, H. Kim, T. Spooner, D. Edelstein, and L. Zhao, J. Electrochem. Soc., 160, (12) (2013): D3040-D3044. 5. N. Heylen, L. Yunlong, K. Kellens, L. Carbonell, H. Volders, G. Santoro, V. Gravey et al. In Interconnect Technology Conference (IITC), 2010 International, pp. 1-3. IEEE, 2010. 6. K. Tanwar, D. Canaperi, M. Lofaro, W. Tseng, R. Patlolla, C. Penny, and C. Waskiewicz, J. Electrochem. Soc., 160, D3247 (2013). This work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development facilities. Figure 1

Low Hydrogen Silicon Carbon Nitride Cap for High Performance Sub-10 nm Cu-Low k Interconnect

The metallization of integrated circuits for high performance CMOS devices involves the use of copper with low-k or ultra low-k dielectrics to reduce RC delay and cross talk in devices. For the 90nm to 14 nm CMOS device nodes, conventional silicon nitride was replaced by new dielectric barrier low k materials such as SiCN, C-Rich SiCN and SiNO (1-6). As devices scale down to <=10 nm dimension, further reduction in cap thickness is required for the Cu barrier while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength, low leakage, high dielectric breakdown, and fabrication integration robustness. In a previous report (6), we showed that a single layer SiCNx film deposited by plasma enhanced CVD with TMS+NH3 is still robust down to around 15-20 nm thickness range. This paper presents the development of the second generation robust Low Hydrogen SiCN to enable cap thickness reduction to <=10 nm by simply altering/reducing the hydrogen concentration in the SiCN film composition. EXPERIMENT The low hydrogen SiCNx films were deposited in a commercial high throughput production worthy 13.6 MHz RF 300 mm Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition process (PECVD) system at 350 C using a combination of Trimethyl Silane (TMS) + Ammonia (NH3) + Hydrogen precursors with excellent uniformity (1 sigma < 1 %). The as-deposited films were analyzed using various electrical , mechanical and chemical analyses to study the film's properties and compositions, Table 1. An oxidation resistance test (6) was done after the barrier film/copper blanket stack was annealed at 310°C for 24 hours in ambient atmosphere. Multi-level 7nm copper interconnect structures were built for Electro-migration (EM) and Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB) reliability measurement (150-300°C). RESULTS and DISCUSSION Table 1 summarizes SiCN and Low H SiCN cap film properties and device performance. Overall, the low H SiCN cap has better electrical, mechanical, and device reliability performance than the standard SiCN cap. The low H SiCN film has higher density, modulus, hardness and significantly higher compressive stress, both as-deposited and post 5 minutes direct UV cure. Compositional analysis shows that PECVD SiCNx cap films deposited with the addition of hydrogen precursor actually have less hydrogen than films deposited without hydrogen under the same optimized deposition condition. Film deposition rates decrease slightly at higher hydrogen flow rate in the TMS+NH3+H2 precursor chemistry. The reduced deposition rate and the hydrogen reduction in the film’s bulk are attributed to the increase removal (etching) of weakly bonded -Si-Hx and -N-Hy species in the film during the plasma deposition process. FTIR analysis shows that Si-C and Si-N bonding density increases in the low H SiCN dielectric, which is consistent with the increase in film density, modulus and harness. A minor reduction in the dielectric constant, similar breakdown voltage and reduced leakage are observed for the low H SiCN cap. Figure 1 shows a typical Scanning Transmission Electron Micrograph (STEM) of a 3nm Co/10 nm Low H SiCN cap on a Copper Metal2 7nm interconnect structure. This Cu/Co/Low H SiCNxcap structure achieves 4-10X better EM/TDDB reliability versus a similar structure with the standardcap (Table 1). A Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) of the patterned surface after annealing at 310°C for 24 hours in ambient atmosphere (Figure 1) shows that the 10 nm Low H SiCN cap has excellent Cu Oxidation properties with no sign of Cu Oxidation. CONCLUSIONS Low hydrogen SiCN dielectrics with improved mechanical, oxidation and Cu diffusion barrier properties versus standard SiCN were deposited using TMS, NH3 and H2. The new robust low hydrogen SiCN dielectric cap film showed a significant increase in Si-C and Si-N bonding density and a reliability performance improvement in 7 nm Cu interconnect structures at <=10 nm thickness . This enables significant improvement in capacitance, reliability and Cu_low k nano device performance. Acknowledgment This work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development Facilities. The author would like to thank B. Peethala for some analysis and A. Grill for discussion. REFERENCES [1] L. Xia, M. Naik, H. Xu, V. Zubkov, R. Bhatia, C. Peterson, M. Spuller, and H. M’Saad, Proceeding of Advanced Metallization for Devices and Circuits, (2006) pp. 169. [2] S.G. Lee et al, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 40, 2663 (2001). [3] Al Grill, Steve Gate, Son Nguyen, D. Priyadarshin, E Tood Ryan; Appl. Phys. Rev. 1, 011306 (2014). [4] Son V. Nguyen et al., Electrochem. Soc. Transaction 2014, Volume 61, issue 3, pp.17-28. [5] C.Yang et al., IEEE Electron Device Letter, Vol 33, No, 4, pp.588-560 (2012). [6] Son Nguyen et al., Electrochem. Soc. Transaction. 2010, Volume: 33, Issue: 12, pp.137-145. Figure 1

Validation of a team integration assessment tool in road infrastructure alliance projects

Continuous and consistent integration practice within alliance teams is the key to breakthrough outcomes in alliance projects. However, there are currently no systematic approaches for measuring the integration practice in alliance projects. This paper presents the Alliance Team Integration Performance Index (ATIPI), developed to measure the current state of the team integration performance. With the aid of a panel of alliance experts, the key indicators (KIs), the quantitative measures (QMs) and the range of performance levels are identified for inclusion in the ATIPI. The ATIPI is then developed in a spreadsheet format, thereby providing a systematic way of measuring the performance. Whether the ATIPI is valid, and performs its intended function for use by industry, relies on the process of validation with the alliance practitioners. Consequently, 13 alliance practitioners participated in an interview to validate the ATIPI based on six validation aspects. The findings indicate that the ATIPI is a simple and user-friendly assessment tool that enables alliance teams to self-diagnose the their team integration performance over time. In addition, based on the lessons learned from the experts’ interview feedback, further work could enhance the utilization of the tool to manage different project alliance teams consistently and objectively.

UV Cure Enabled Robust STI Oxide Gap Fill Solution for Thermally Limited Flow in Advanced Logic Devices

High mobility channel materials such as Si1-xGex (x = 0.1-0.5) are important to achieve performance targets for FinFET devices at dimensions scaled beyond 14nm. Previously, flowable (FCVD) SiO2 deposition processes have been developed to achieve adequate fill for Shallow Trench Isolation in FinFET structures. However, the thermal budget for curing FCVD oxide with SiGe fins must be limited to avoid out-diffusion of Ge. This restricts the processing options for achieving a robust material which is compatible with subsequent wets processing steps. FCVD oxide deposition employs an amine-based silicon precursor which, upon exposure to NH3 radicals, forms short chain -Si-N-Si- oligomers with terminal Si-H or N-H bonds. These oligomers flow into and fill deep isolation trenches. Once the trenches are filled, it is critical to stabilize the film and initiate cross linking for densification to SiO2. To this end, a cure while still under vacuum, such as O3 oxidation, is commonly used before a subsequent furnace steam anneal. This paper describes an alternate curing process using broadband UV light to densify FCVD oxide. Material properties were studied using cure by microwave-powered Hg lamps at 10 degC with broadband (200-450nm) spectrum and compared to the existing O3 cure. To achieve the desired FCVD film properties, it is beneficial to remove -OH terminations during the post-dep cure to promote a dense final -Si-O-Si- matrix. Fig. 1 shows high frequency FTIR spectra from UV-cured FCVD oxide films as a function of UV power post-steam anneal. Data from O3 cured FCVD oxide is plotted for comparison. The spectrum from the non-oxidizing UV cure process shows lower peak intensities for –OH and H-OH stretch peaks. For promoting densification, UV curing is also effective in breaking N-H bonds. The number of NH/NH2 bonds is reduced with increasing UV power and a corresponding increase in Si-H bonding is observed. Figure 2 shows FTIR spectra of cured FCVD films treated with a subsequent steam anneal. The film with O3cure show more residual silanols (Si-OH) relative to UV cured films. Also, the -Si-O-Si- bonding peak is higher in UV cured films, suggesting a denser -Si-O-Si- network. During the steam anneal process, we observed that UV cured films densify more rapidly than O3 cured films. For anneals at 500°C, a dense SiO2 surface layer is formed, blocking further O2diffusion and leaving a less dense film below which has a higher wet etch rate (Fig. 3). This effect is evident in Fig. 4a where FCVD oxide has been recessed using an etching technique. The oxide between fins is weaker and has recessed more than the oxide in the field region outside of the array (see reference lines). A two-step steam anneal was then developed to achieve uniform properties through film depth: 400°C for 1 hour followed by 500°C for 2 hours. Fig 4b shows a structure with oxide annealed in this way and then recessed through etching; it was observed that the recess is now equivalent in the field and between fins. The impact of UV power on the cure process was also explored. Fig. 5 shows the WERR as a function of thickness for blanket O3 cured FCVD films and UV cured films after steam anneal. The UV cure again shows significantly lower WERR compared to O3 cure, with more densification and improved film uniformity through depth with increased power. Fig. 6 compares cumulative electrical breakdown behavior for O3 cured and UV cured films after steam anneal obtained using MIS structures. The UV cured films show a higher breakdown voltage (Vbd ~10MV/cm) relative to O3 cured films (~9MV/cm). Fig. 7 is a comparison of WERR between O3 cured film and UV cured film inside the narrow STI Trench Features. The films were steam annealed followed by 2x900°C-1min soak RTA in N2. Data shows 30% lower in-trench WERR for UV cure compared to O3cure. In conclusion, UV cure has been demonstrated as a means to provide improved FCVD quality over O3cure as measured by wet etch rate ratio, in blanket films and within trenches for STI applications. This work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development Facilities. Figure 1

Application of a team integration performance index in road infrastructure alliance projects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability of the Alliance Team Integration Performance Index (ATIPI) model as an assessment tool to measure the performance of team integration in alliance road infrastructure projects in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach – This study takes a case study approach, using a qualitative research method. Three road infrastructure projects under project alliance from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) were selected as the cases. Data were collected through the interviews with a representative from the alliance management team from each case. Project records and documentation were also used to assist and support the actual data from the interviews. Findings – The findings indicated that the ATIPI is performing as expected and found to be both practical and applicable to measure the team integration performance in light of real life case studies of alliance road infrastructure projects. Across the three case studies, there is evidence that high levels of integrated performance is consistently fostered by the project teams over the lifecycle of projects. In addition, based on the cross-case analysis from the application of the ATIPI on three cases, further work could enhance the probability of the utilization of the tool to manage different project alliance teams consistently and objectively. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to three alliance road infrastructure projects in New Zealand. Further research into different alliance projects is required to establish a comprehensive database of alliance team integration performance, so that the model could be more beneficial for owner and non-owner participants, for benchmarking purposes. Practical implications – As team integration practice can directly result in high performing teams in alliance projects, the ATIPI is an ideal model to facilitate the continuous evaluation of team integration performance consistently and objectively over the lifecycle of the projects. Originality/value – This study extends the team integration literature in construction research by providing significant insights into the empirical evaluation of alliance team integration performance, as well as providing added value for the enhancement of any future development of performance evaluation models in construction research.

Making Sense of Changing Hats: A Study of the Nigeria, Vietnam, and Azerbaijan/Kazakhstan Projects within the Norwegian Statoil and British BP Strategic Alliance

To explore group-based identities and collective sensemaking in the context of a cross-border alliance, a qualitative exploratory study was initiated. The emphasis was on interpretation of issues, within and around an interfirm partnership and the alliance process, perceived by those involved as important. The BP and Statoil strategic alliance, formed to carry out joint oil and gas exploration and development in Nigeria, Vietnam and Azerbaijan/Kazakhstan, provided 52 interviews with staff from both partner headquarters and team members from the three projects. By studying an alliance process from multiple perspectives, it was possible to identify differences in sensemaking across different groups of employees. The organizational level (the alliance business unit level and the alliance team level) proved to be more important for shared sensemaking of the alliance process than group identities, such as nationalities, companies or locations. The alliance business unit level had been tasked with strategically developing and shaping the alliance, while the alliance teams had the operational responsibility for the project. The main theoretical implication is the primacy of project team-based identity to sensemaking regarding critical issues, emphasizing the importance of developing an alliance “supra-identity”. Implications for interfirm partnerships in Africa and Asia are also addressed.